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Comment by iLoch | Hacker News Reader

I wonder if the FBI has checked for any ways to circumvent the passcode screen using software bugs.

Edit: Not sure why I got downvoted. I can currently circumvent my keyboard passcode with a number of steps, and I'm on iOS 9. Steps to try for yourself:

Edit: Ok I've been tricked. The steps below are unnecessary as the first step actually unlocks your iPhone in the background. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The fact remains though that these bugs have existed in the past and may exist on the device the FBI wants to unlock.

1. Invoke Siri, "what time is it?"

2. Press the time/clock that is shown

3. Tap the + icon.

4. Type some arbitrarily long string into the search box. Highlight that text and copy it.

5. Tap on the search box. There should be a share option if your device is capable. Tap the share option.

6. Share to messages.

7. Press the home button.

Congrats, you're more effective than the FBI.

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You're unlocking your iPhone using TouchID. Try this using a finger not registered for TouchID and the 'Share' option won't show.

It's a hoax.

Interestingly, this works on my 6s when I press the home button with a finger that is registered for TouchID. I can't add a new clock when I use a different finger. That suggests that on my phone, at least, I'm really just silently unlocking the phone with Touch ID at some point in following these instructions--probably when I press the home button.

TouchID is so fast on the 6s, it's easy to unlock it without realizing you're doing it.

Try accessing Siri with something that isn't registered with touchID (like a friend's finger) and this doesn't work. I think the steps have nothing to do with it, and it has more to do with you unlocking the phone with touchID when you summon Siri.

Congrats, you just unlocked your device with TouchID.

There's this neat trick that can get you access into all of your bank accounts and credit cards. You can even get access if you forget your username and password.

This has been debunked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zOEoIV5YGI

Data is still encrypted in that state. The passcode screen is not what is preventing access. That is how it works in Android (where a lockscreen is just an app that is locked into the foreground), but not iOS. Bypassing the iOS passcode entry screen gets you to a weird limbo-like state where a lot of thing don't work. I don't recall what that state is called.

For more on this see "File Data Protection" and "Data Protection classes" in https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf .

The default protection class is "Protected Until First User Authentication". This means that unless an app says something more specific, the key required to read a file is not available between reboot and the first time a phone is unlocked.

This is not accurate regarding Android http://www.zdnet.com/article/google-now-requires-full-device...

FDE on Android still leaves a lot to be desired. It hardly stands up to Apple's implementation. The only time that any data is encrypted is when the device is off or a volume is unmounted.

This works. You just scared the shit out of me. Well done.

The share button will appear only if you use your thumb to invoke Siri. Try doing it with your knuckle to start.

I got lost on step 5. I'm not sure where the share option is supposed to appear or why it would, but it doesn't for me.

On step 7, are you sure you're not also unlocking your phone with Touch ID when you do that?

I never get the Share option on 9.2.1 using a 6. I don't doubt this works on a number of OS/device combos though

Yeah I'm on 9.1 with a 6.

Share option doesn't show up for me on 9.2.1 with the phone locked, does when it's not locked.

Hrm, didn't get a "Share" button.

Just tried this. No time/clock icon shown.

On step 5, I don't see any share option.

If your device is completely up to date, shouldn't this not work? The SiRi-on-lockscreen vulnerability is nearly 6 months old by now.

Whoa.

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